THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Researchers at Imperial College say their new study indicates that sugar-free and diet drinks are not helpful for weight loss and could even cause people to pile on the pounds.
• Starting this week in Finland, 2,000 citizens will receive a $581 monthly stipend in an experimental "basic income" scheme where you get money from the government, whether you're working or not. It's a two-year program.
• Wall Street is expecting the value of Starbucks to surpass the value of McDonald's this year.
• Americans eat 554 million Jack in the Box tacos every year.
• Gospel singer Kim Burrell was supposed to appear on Ellen today. But after a video surfaced where she called homosexuality "perverted," her appearance was canceled.
• George Kosana, who played Sheriff McClelland in the 1968 cult zombie film, "Night of the Living Dead," has died. He was 81.
• George Michael's music sales have gone up 2,678% since his death.
• Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds will be laid to rest today in a private, family-only service. A public memorial will be held later.
• 2017 is a year of big birthdays and anniversaries: Spam, the Hobbits and Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs turns 80; The Beatles' Sergeant Peppers album and the movie Mrs. Robinson turn 50; the original Star Wars and the mini-series Roots turn 40; The Simpsons turn 30; the movie Titanic and the first Harry Potter book celebrate their 20th anniversary.
• Janet Jackson gave birth to a baby boy on Tuesday: Eissa Al Mana.
• A California company is building doomsday shelters in South Dakota for the wealthy to survive apocalyptic events like nuclear war.
• Denver Broncos coach Gary Kubiak announced that he is retiring because of health issues.
• Now there's a study that says taking a break from Facebook can dramatically brighten a person's mood.
• Cleveland Browns Coach Hue Jackson says he will swim in Lake Erie if his team goes 1-15 next year.
• Yes, just in time for Valentine's Day -- white cheesecake flavored M&M's.